5 Things You Must NEVER Do In Ecuador

Ecuador is as laid back as we know it. It is a country with a superb lifestyle and helpful citizenry. However, despite all the good stuff, you cannot be reckless about a few really important things which otherwise can greatly affect your visit.

In case you are about to take an Ecuadorian journey, then we ask you to pay attention to what you read in this article. We have enumerated 5 things which you must avoid when in Ecuador to avoid inviting inconvenience upon yourself.

Let us take a look at some of these Don’ts.

1. Flashing Out Your Essentials

Ecuador has a high crime rate, particularly in cities such as Quito and Guayaquil. Thus, you should be extremely cautious when going out and handling your valuables.

In order to avoid getting into a mess and having your valuables stolen away from you, you should never flash out your valuables when on streets. Pickpockets in Ecuador are bold enough to pickpocket you anywhere, and it will be too late before you realize what just happened.

2. Public Transport During Busy Hour

Ecuadorian transportation system is very cheap, and this makes it all the more tempting for tourists. However, it is highly advised that you do not take public transport during busy hours, which are usually around morning, lunchtime, and early evening.

There is also safety concern in this: during the rush hour, you become more vulnerable to perverts and pickpockets. You should consider hiring a taxi or using a ride-sharing app to ensure comfort on your trip.

3. Wandering About After Dark

As noted earlier, the crime rate in Ecuador is pretty high, and thus, it is highly advised that one should not wander about the streets after dark, as it becomes quite convenient for robbers to rob you.

If you are put up in places such as Banos, Cuenca,andMindo, you can relax a bit as they are relatively safe. However, always keep yourself on your toes and avoid going into dark and poorly lit streets during thenight.

4. Get In Whatever Taxi You Get

If you are a tourist, you are more likely to get conned by locals—so Ecuador offers no exceptional treatment to its visitors.

You should be cautious before taking any taxis, as many people illegally ply cabs on the roads. Official Ecuadorian taxis are yellow in color with a green sticker pastedon the side. If you are traveling to bigger cities such as Quito, you should prefer apps such as Cabify and Uber that are considered safer options.

5. Everyone Speaks English

You should know that not everyone in the country speaks English; in fact, people in big cities generally known inadequate English. So, you can expect a lot of people to shy away from you or deliberately reject you upon you asking for anything in English.

Spanish is the key to having a great time in Ecuador. It is a relatively easy language to learn, and you can find a number of online modules and applications to learn its basics which will help you survive Ecuador.